Means and method for reducing to powder form materials packaged as tablets



2,447,258 DER S 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1 1948- F. A. LOBLEY M NS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING TO POW RM MATERIALS PACKAGED AS TABLET Filed Oct. 15, 1945 I y l 3 M a M .W, w

F. A. LOBLEY 2,447,258 MEANS AND METHOD FOR RE CING' TO POWDER FORM MATERIALS PACKAG AS TAB Aug. 17, 1948.

LETS

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1945 Patented Aug. 17, 1948 AND METHOD FOR; REDUCING, TO I PDSVDER FORM; .MATERIALS PACKAGED ASI TABLETS "Frederick; Ac 1501111255.: Elkhart I'nda;v assig nor tov '.Miles;.Lwboratnries;i.Inc-,.;.Elkhart, 1116., a cor.-

snoration ofz lndiama This invention relates topackaging or materials intheir powdered or comminuted form; and has to do-with-means for'and-a' met-nodof accomplishing such packaging:

'There are-various materialswvhich; in use; are dissolved in powderform: in water or: other solvent; Many of these" materialsgsuchylfbr example, as effervescent,substances-rapidly deteri'o rate when exposed; tog-moisture or-to-t'he; atmosphere. It is desirable; therefore, that such materials be enclosed; inair andimoisture' proof containers ofa character to protecttthem against d'eterioration. Packaging. such materials in powder. form frequently is difilcult; time consuming; and results in considierabl'eloss ofthermat'erial being packaged, all ofwl'iich. materially increasesljthe cost oftl'iematerial' in itspacliagediprm.

I. have. found that a material, saying in. tii'n'e, as well as, in. the. size, of. the package. cqnt'aini'ng a.

- predetermined amount, era, given,.materia1'..origi1- nally. in powder form.andvmtheimateriallwasted in. the packaging, operations, cam be. efiected; compacting; the powdered material..-intol.tablet form, sealing. the tablets.,.in. containers. or. en.- velopesformed oftprotectivamaterial' efiectiveior excludingair andmoisturefromthelenvelopeaand then crushing the. tabletsinthe sealedenvelope so as. to. r-educethem. to. powder form. While in certain instances satisfactory. results be at.- trained by. crushinathe; tablets-only sufliciently to cause breakage. of tl1e.b0nd; betweenutheparticles oftnetablet,so.thatthe..resultingapcrwderris-oonsiderably. denser than..the .origina1 powder; from which thetabletwas formed, andioccupiessbut little. more space in.- the containersorrenvelope thanrthe tabletroccupied dnc other cases-it isedesirable thatv the tabletfbe. crushed morefinelipto assurerapid dissolving of.the:-materiallinzlthmwae ter 01* other solvent. to which? itdsiadded. Imthe. crushingofa thetabletto thedatter extentpthebulk of.;the.-r.es=ultant;.powderis-m'aterially gneaterrthan that, of the tablet. and; unless; proper precautions taker-r, thereis risk tinat.-theenclosingeemtelope.

whereby the. packaged tablets may becrushed. in the-manner statedwithout risk ofzinjuryto-or impairment of; the efficiency .of. the protecting. container; or: envelope.

Coffee: extractmay be taken as.another'-'example of a material which maybe packaged toparticular advantage by the means andthennethod of my invention; Coffee in beverage. form, is-used in large. quantity by; our: military forces,,:manyof who-1m are; located: in: tropical andsemi-tr0r ca1 countries: characterized bxhighrtemperatures and high humidity. It often is difficnltvto brewycoffee imthe. field: andsupply. it: :tozmen: engaged'im maneuvers; "Int order to 1 meet: that: diificultlydti has been proposed to prepare a powdbredr'coifee extract. byzfirst: preparing aabrew-or liquid: extract whichz;i-sathem evaporated to; a: solid? byrtheruser of law; pressure evaporation, :or spray: drying; 'Ihe soiidjrmatzerial's thus .:obtained: mayzbe granulated to a relatively fine powdenby' theiuseaof a suitablasolvenir. and evaporating procedure. The-resultant'powder rapidlyhardens: and; deteriorates; losing its fiavor ifr'exposeditwthea air','.and" sh0u1'd be: packaged hermetically: sealed 1 containers with as littl'e exposure to atmosphere as possibl'ei In pra'cticing:myninverrtion, a powder-coffee ex"- tract powder, for "example-4s compressed into tablets. in: a knowntn'anner and: by knownmeans, eacii: tablet: containing-apredeterminedamount of the original powder and being of approximately one=flfththe? volume of such predetermined amount of the original powder" from I which the tablet was for med; Thetabletsthusproduced are self-sustaining to the extent that'theymay'read' ily berhandledi and-packaged without objectionable breakage, but" the bond" between the part1;- cles of the tablet is sufiiciently slightso that such bondwill be broken when the" tablet is subjected to appreciabla; but. not great}, pressure, causing separation ,ofthe particles.andireducingthe.tablet tapowder. form, the resultant. powder being, denser thangtheiorisinal powderandoccupyinasomewhat greater. .spacethan .theatabletv Thereafter, the

packaged powder may be, and preferablpis subv iectedntolfurither. crushing. pressure effective. for reducing, the. size of .the particles. of, .the powder, elud -thereby rendering iamone readily: soluble.- That is desirablewith respectxtoucofteez extract in vieweotethe fact-.that in manyinstances when troops are: in. action in=the fieldhot: water is -notv available; and; the extract. has to: bev dissolved: Ewen tin; cases; where? hot: water :is

often desirable that-the coffeexexrtract. bezdlssolwzdiirrthe waterfwithaaminimunnot the opposite thereof. The use of crushing rolls is.

desirable as being conducive to high speed operation, but there is risk that in the crushing operation, due to the greater bulk of the packaged powder relative to the tablets, the enclosing container 4 At its rearward end the trough structure 13 delivers the tablets t to buckets l3 of a feeder I1. The buckets deposit the tablets upon the upper face of a strip l8 of a suitable thermobonding material drawn from a roll l9 thereof suitably mounted on a spindle 20, strip I8 passing upward through an opening 2| through base member Ill, and thence over a guide roller 22, from which it passes downward and rearward generally concentrically with the lower end portion of the feeder l'l. I'he strip l8 may be a strip of regenerated cellulose, or it may be a strip of any or envelope may be subjected to internal pressure I of such high value as to cause rupturing of the package or reduction in or destruction of its protective characteristics. In order to avoid that difficulty, in packaging the tablets I provide space therea'bout for accommodating the powder to which the tablet is reduced, and, preliminary to the crushing of the tablet, break the tablet within the package into two portions and space those portions apart, providing at the central area of the package a space of appreciable extent between the portions of the broken tablet, such space serving to guard against subjecting the container or envelope to objectionably high interior pressure, during the operation of crushing the tablet, as will be explained more fully later.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic lengthwise vertical sectional view of a packaging machine embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a packaged tablet produced by the machine of Figure 1, showing the package in actual size and in the condition in which it is before the tablet is broken preliminary to crushing thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2, the tablet being shown in elevation;

Figure, 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the breaking rolls, with a packaged tablet, shown in elevation, passing between the rolls and being broken thereby;

,, Figure 5 is 'a plan view of the packaged tablet, in actual size, after complettion of the breaking operation; I

Figure 6 is a plan view of the packageof powdered material which results from passage of the packaged broken tablet through the two sets of crushing rolls;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 1-1 of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a fragmentary side view of the packaging machine of my invention, showing the means for yieldingly urging the upper breaking roll toward the lower breaking roll; and

Figure 9 is a view like Figure '7, showing the means for yieldingly urging one of the upper crushing rolls toward the corresponding lower crushing roll.

The packaging machine shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 comprises a base member l0 upon which is suitably mounted an electrical vibrator ll of known type. This vibrator is connected by a bracket [2 to a trough structure l3 supported by spring means M for lengthwise vibration, the structure [3 receiving, at its forward end, tablets t formed from compacted powdered material, as above referred to, from a trough ll: of a tableting machine (not shown).

other suitable material provided with a coating of a suitable known substance which is thermobonding. A strip '23, similar to strip I8, is led from a roll 24, suitably mounted on a spindle 25, downward about a guide roller 26 and thence rearward. The strip 23 is thus disposed, rearward of guide roller 26, to overlie the tablets t deposited in spaced relation upon the upper face of strip H! by the feeder [1.

The strips l8and 23, with the tablets it between them, pass rearward from guide roller 26 between upper and lower sealing rolls 28 and 29, respectively. These rolls are heated, conveniently by means of electrical resistors, and maintained at proper sealing temperature, in a known manner. Each of the rolls 28 and 29 is provided with a plurality of--in this case, four-recesses 30 of generally square shape and of somewhat greater width than the tablets t, of proper depth to receive, when two of the recesses 30 are in opposed relation, the tablets disposed between the strips 23 and [8 without subjecting the tablet to pressure. The strips 23 and I8 are each of somewhat greater width than the recesses 33, and the areas of the rolls 28 and 29, beyond the recesses 30 thereof, are oppositely threaded. In the passage of the strips and the tablets between the rolls 28 and 29 the strips are drawn over the tablets and are sealed together by the rolls 28 and 29, the threads of the latter corrugating the outer marginal portions of the strips beyond the tablet and also corrugating the portions of the strips between successive tablets. In that manner the tablets are sealed in protective containers or envelopes individual thereto and connected together in spaced relation so as to form a string of packaged tablets, it being understood that the material of the strips 23 and i8 is of a character to protect the enclosed tablets from the air and, to a considerable extent, from moisture.

The string of tablets passes rearward from the rolls 28 and 29 between upper and lower guide rollers 3| and 32. A strip of metal foil 33, preferably aluminum foil, though lead foil or any other suitable membrane may be used, passes from a "roll 34, mounted on a spindle 35, about guide roller 3! and thence rearward in overlying relation to the string of packaged tablets. A second strip 36 of metal foil passes from a roll 31', mounted on a spindle 38, upwardly through an opening 39 in base member l0, and thence over roller 32 and rearward in underlying relation to the string of packaged tablets. The strips 33 and 36, together with the string of packaged tablets, pass rearwardly between a second pair of sealing rolls comprising anupper roll H and a lower roll 42, these rolls being similar to the first pair of sealing rolls 28 and 29. The opposed surfaces of the strips 33 and 36, as they pass between the rolls 4i and 42, are coated with a suitable known thermobonding substance. The rolls 4! and 42 stretch the metal foil strips over the packaged tablets and seal the lateral margm-alizportions; of these strips, aswell as the portions l. thereof lying; between: the packaged tablets; together. and rtoi thewstrips. 2a and "3. so asatq bond; all ot'thestripstogether andvprovide an airzandrmoisturentight seal therebetween. In thatlnmanner, each ofthetablets is. enclosed withinianl envelope comprising thezinner strips 23 and I8 of regeneratedcelluloseor'other suitable; material and .theouter metal foil strips 33 andziw. I

..Ini-Ei'gures.. 2 and 3v I have shown one of the packaged .tab'letsaproduced .in the above manner. 'lmeatabletc #:preferablyis in. the form of v a. flatsi'dedi'disc as shown but within the broader aspects.ofrmpinvention, may beef: any other suitableazfprm.. Thista-blet isenclosed within the envelope; comprising the; strips; t8 and 23,. and 33rande36the strips. laand 23 and the strips 33 andsl 36* converging outward; of the: tablet t and enclosiiig -with-inthe envelope a space 45 of qutwardlyttap'ering. or conical cross section extendingzperipherally about the tablet t. The marginalz portions .of. the strips extending; outwardmeyondlthe space 45 are corrugated and sealedlrtogethenat- 4.6 as-above explained, and arei disposede substantially in the median plane oiz'the packaged tablet. The corrugations of the portions of the package are produced by t'heithreadsfonthe-sealing rolls, above referred topth'ese threads also serving to. grip the lateral marginal portions of thelstrips so as to feed the latter and; the string. of packaged tablets rearward between thegpairs-of sealing rolls, as will be readilylunderstoodyit being. understood that the mlls ofthezstripsr may have associated therewith suitable means fonpreventing overrunning thereofi and; for maintaining the strips under proper tensioniasatheyare drawn from the rolls thereof, 1llk- 3L knWI1 manner. I

a Eromi-thezsealing rolls 412116.142, the string of p'ackag'ed tablets; passes rearward to a pair of breaking: rolls 41 and 48; .Each of these rolls is providedat each end: thereof, with abearing rail or ring 49 which contacts the corresponding. bearhug: ring? of the other roll and cooperatestherewithdfon positively limiting movement. of the rolls Hi and; 48: toward eachother, one of the rollspreferably the upper roll 4I-beingyielding-1y urged: towardnthe lowerroll #8 in a suitable. known-manner." IniEigure 8.1 have shownmeans- 'w comprising a-compression spring 1 I andlassoeciateds parts, -simitar to that of Patent No. 2;424 1 03;-for yieldingly urging roll -4 toward rel-P- Any suitable known means may be em-- ployed' for. that 1 purpose.

Each -ofi the breaking rolls" 4-1 and 58 is pro-= vfded witha-u plurality of'-inthis case, fou-rbreaking bars 50 suitably mounted thereon and extending 'leng-thwise thereof. The respectivebreaking bars- 50" comprise a breaking portion 51' of somewhat greater extent lengthwise of the roll than'th'ewidth of the packaged tablet t, seas-to extend; throughout the full width ofthe latter duringthebreakingoperationl The breaking portitan v S t-has a followingface 52* disposed substantial-l y radially of'the associated roll, anda leading face 5'3- in'cl-inecr outwardly ofthe roll toward the following face -52*, the-outer ends of faces 52- and SW-leingeorI-nected byarelatively narrow flat-- tenedifaceid -the cornersof which preferably are slightly rounded The breaking bars 50' of the rolls Er and 48 are equally spaced about the re-' spective rolls and are so disposed that the bars of on'efroll are 'brough-t into opposing relation to those or" the 2 other roll; during rotation of the 6 rolls;Withlthe.opposedibars disposedto engageithecentralaareas ot the zpackagedhtablets: as: the packagesapa pass. between:- the rolls. "When: the breaker: bars are disposed int opposed-relation; the bite therebetween isappreciably less thanJ-the thickness of. therpackaged tablet's t. The tablet isthussubj ected :to pressure betweemthehreaking surfaces 5 1i ofi p'ortion 5-] ofi thebars 511i. as shown more v clearly in; Figure 4. '2' The --packaged tablet is thustbroken int-o1 two port-ions t land tZ; and the latter portion ot the brokenltablet-l is movedpby the inclined lea'din'g surfaces '53 of .the breaklng bars; rearward within the: envelope 1 or :package whileLthe forwardiportion tll ofxthe: broken tablet remains substantially undisturbed. that manner, the. packagedi tablet-is broken: into e, followingportion t l: and" a leading portionttz; and the. latternportion ismoved rearward within the package sov as to beiseparated from the following portion 11 Ii. by a space :.of appreciable width and' volume therebetween. During: this breaking operatiomth'e-out-er ornoseportions otfthesbreaks ing ba-rs pressin-to the package in: from opposite sides thereof, and subj ect the: tablet to breaking pressure alonga transverse linesubst'antially perpendicular to the. d-itectiom ot travel of'theipaokagep, the inwardly: divergingzwal'ls ofthe package, defin-ingrthe; space 45, providtnga certainamount oi slack. in: the; package permitting: inward movement: of the central areas: of 'lthe top bottom walls thereof ,.with:the noseiporti'onsiofrthe breaking bars; without: subjecting. thez'package; to injurious; stresses; packageipg as tit-.Epasses rearward:v from the: breaking :rolls; contains t the. broken? tablets now separatedt into. arfollowing portion: t'l :and'a. leading: portion r2 thne'r latter portion; having been. shifted toward the leading side; of. the package; these: two :portionsrldeing separated bythe space 55 therebetween', and the package, at the top and .ltheabottom xthereof; h'avingl'its' centrali portion forced inwardlylarshprt distance. to provide a. transverse: trough won: depression 56,. as showm-more clearlyrin. Figure. 5)..

The string of packagessp'passestrom the-breaking rolls; and. rearwardzbetweerra firstzpair of crushing; roll'sucomprising an uppersroll. 5i] and a lower roll 58. Each. of these. ro1l's..is;.provided at .each: end thereof,. with a: bearing'ri'ng or rail 59 which: contacts the" bearing rail of the:- other roll, positively limiting? movement; of the rollsv toward each other, andithe'uppernroll'; 51 iiszyieldingly' urged: toward:v theylower roll in a. suitable known: manner. In; Figure Q'IhaVe showmmeans: 12,: comprising a compressionrspring' 1131' andassociated parts, similar to that of "Patent-No; 2,424,103; for yield-ingly urging roll -fl toward roll 53* Any suitable known meansmaybeem I ployed for that purpose; 3Th=e bite between rolls 5:1 and-58 is somewhat less than the thickness of the package p-so that; as the packagespasssuccessively between the rolls 5? and -5'8 the enclosedtablets t= are =suba'ected to crushing pressure exerted through the top-- and bottom walls of the package; it being noted that the marginal: portions 46 of the-packages p are notv acted upon by the crushing areasyof the rolls 51 and 58, "thou-ghthe" sidemarginalportions W6 of the packages are g ripped between the bearing rails- 59 for feeding the string of packages -rea1 ward between-the rolls;

As the package 1J enters-the bite-of 'the-rolls 5-7 and-= 58", "crushing pressure orr the packaged tabletis-i-hitiate'd at the "center of the outer"edge"- ofleading portion t2 of the broke rtablet, as

w-il l-be understood more clearly from-Figure 551.

in which the arrow a indicates the direction in which the package travels rearward between the crushing rolls, and the arrrow b indicates the direction of travel of the crushing pressure exerted upon the tablet by the rolls 51 and 58. This crushing pressure travels from the central point of the outer edge of leading portion t2 of the broken tablet, and progresses across the latter to the central point of the outer edge of the following portion t1 of the broken tablet. As the package moves rearward between the rolls 51 and 58 and crushing of the tablet progresses, the space 55 between the portions tl and t2 of the broken tablet accommodates a portion of the powder to which theleading portion 12 of the tablet is reduced by the crushing operation, and a certain amount of this powder is also accommodated by the space 45. Thereafter, the following portion t1 of the tablet is crushed and thereby reduced to a, powder, suflicient of the resulting powder being accommodated by the space 45 and, to a certain extent, by the space 55, to prevent subjecting the container or envelope to injurious interior stress-es. In that manner, rupture of 'or injury to the package in of a. character to reduce its efflciency is guarded against.

The breaking of the packaged tablet into portions providing a space of considerable volume atthe mid-portion of the package is of primary importance, in that it permits crushing of the tablets between the rolls 51 and 58 to reduce them to powder form, without danger of injury to the enclosing envelope or container. As has been noted above, the crushing action of the rolls 51 and 58 starts at one side of the tablet and pro gresses across the package to the other side of the tablet. The resultant powder is of appreciably greater volume than the tablet from which it has been produced. If the tablet were not broken preliminary to the crushing operation, in the manner described, the container would become completely filled with the powder in advance of the crushing rolls and, thereafter, as the package travelled between the rolls, there would result an advancing pressure wave transmitted through the powder and any remaining uncrushed portion of the tablet which would eventually exert high interior pressure on the package with resultant rupture or other serious injury thereto rendering the package unfit for use or greatly reducing its efiiciency. In theory that diificulty could be avoided by materially increasing the space within the envelopeabout the tablet. In practice, however, that would not be practicable for several reasons. The resulting package would be objectionably large and bulky, which would be objectionable for obvious reasons. Further, if the space about the packaged tablet were materially increased, there would be objectionable slack in the package during the crushing operation, such that the walls of the package would be apt to be wrinkled and sharply creased, resulting in injury to the covering of the packag to such an extent as to reduce materially its efiiciency. By breaking the tablet into portions and separating these portions within the package so as to provide, at the central area thereof, a space of appreciable volume, I render it possible to crush the packaged tablet between the rolls 51 and 58 without risk of injury to the package, in the manner above described. That also renders possible a package of materially smaller size, for a given amount of powdered material, than could otherwise be produced while maintaining the full efficiency oithepackage with respect to its protective qualities. During the breaking operation a certain amount of the tablet may be crushed into powder form, and the leading portion t2 of the tablet may be broken into two or more parts or pieces, as may be following portion tl. In general, however, the tablet is broken into the two portions ti and t2, spaced apart, as above described and as shown in Figure 5.

In reducing the packaged tablet to powder form, and reducing the powder to the desired degree of fineness, it is important in the first instance that the tablet be crushed so as to be reduced in its entirety to powder without subjecting the package to injurious interior pressure and without completely filling the space within the container. That I accomplish in the man-. ner above stated, the space between the rolls 51 and 58 being such that after th package p has passed between these rolls there is still available within the package space to accommodate increase in volume of the powder due to crushin thereof. The further crushing operation is'performed by a second pair of crushing rolls, comprising an upper roll and a lower roll 6|, provided at their ends with cooperating bearing rails 82 for positively limiting movement together of the rolls 6%] and GI, while also feeding the string of tablets rearward between these rolls. The rolls 693 and Si are so set that the bite therebetween is somewhat less than the bite between the rolls 51 and 58, so that as the packages pl, contain-, ing the powder produced by crushing of the tablets by the rolls 51 and 58, pass between the rolls 6i! and 6| the powder in such packages is subjected to a crushing operation and is thereby increased in fineness and in volume. During the crushing operation between the rolls 60 and GI the powder readily flows from between thebite of the rolls into the surrounding available space 65 within the package, thus avoiding subjecting the latter to objectionably high interior pressure. If desired, the packages p2, travelling rearward from between the rolls 60 and BI, may be subjected to further crushing operations by additional pairs of crushing rolls, with proper regard to avoiding injuriously high interior pressure within the packages, though I find that by subjecting the packages pl, or, more properly the powder within such packages, to a single crushing operation between the rolls 60 and BI, properly adjusted to reduce the powder to such a degree of fineness as substantially to fill the containers without subjecting them to objectionably high interior pressure, suffices for all practical purposes. The powder produced by passing the packages between the rolls 60 and BI is materially finer than the'powder produced by crushing of the tablets between the rolls 51 and 58, and will dissolve more readily in water or other suitable solvent than the powder resulting from the first crushing operation.

From the crushing rolls 80 and GI the string of packages 12 is fed rearward between a pair of cutting rolls comprising an upper knife roll 64 and a lower platen roll 65. These rolls are provided at their ends with bearing rails 66 for positively spacing them apart, roll 64 being yieldingly urged toward roll 65 in a suitable known manner, and for gripping between them the lateral portions of the string of tablets and feeding the latter rearward between the cutting rolls. Roll 64 is provided with blades 61 mounted therein in a suitable manner, these blades cooperating with bars 68 of roll 65 for cutting the string of packages midway between adjacent ones thereoi,

thus. producing the completed individual :packages p 1 :The: packages 41 may be discharged from; the;:.cutting :rolls :into xa'asuitable container, or onto: a suitable conveyorior transferring them toany other suitable location for packing, either:

by' handorxby; machine, for shipment; One of the completedpackages p is shown in Figures- 6 and 7. It 'will be. noted thatthis p'ackageis substantially completely filled with'the powdered material, which is of appreciably greater volume than the same amount of the material in its tableted form shown in Figures 2 .and 3, and that theside: walls of the package are rounded, in-

stead. of being .straight and outwardly converging asx'in'Figure 3. In this. package the powder is enclosed by an .inner container comprising the strips 23 .and l 8 orregenerated cellulose ornothersuitable'material, and an outer container or coatingrzof vmetal foil comprising the strips 33'- and 1.36;,

the; package as a wholefbeing moistureand 'air proof .a-nd capable of guarding the contained p w eragainst deterioration indefinitely under. unfavorable conditions; Packages of powdered cofiee-"extract, prepared as above, have .been

testedat temperatures o-f;120 F. andmoistureof. 100% humidity, without any deteriorationin the" powden, While I have described my inventionras applied to the packaging of coffee extract. in 1 both the inner covering, of regenerated cellulose or other suitable material, and the outercovering, of metal foil or analogousmaterial, are "used. In cases where'the' outer foil covering is not re-. quired, it may be omitted, and in cases where .the inner covering of regenerated cellulose isnot required itniay be omitted, the powder thenlbe ing enclosed within'a container or envelope of metal foil or analogous material only. Briefly, within the broader concept of my invention, the powder may be contained within a package or envelope of metal foil only, or of regenerated cellulose only, or of both, depending upon requirements.

Preferably, the packaging means employed in practicing my invention is a packaging machine similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Frederick A. Lobley, Walter E. Lowell, and William T. Williams, for Packaging machine, filed October 16, 1943, Serial No. 506,562, now Patent No. 2,424,103. In that machine, in order to package the tablets between the strips of regenerated cellulose only, the upper roll 4| of the second set of sealing rolls is supported in a raised or inoperative position, and the metal foil strips 33 and 36 are not delivered from the rolls 34 and 31, respectively, thereof. When it is desired to package the tablets in metal foil only, the rolls l9 and 24 of the cellulose strips I8 and 23, respectively, are replaced by rolls of metal foil from which the metal foil strips are fed about the rollers 22 and 26, and thence rearward between the pairs of rolls, the upper sealing roll 41 of the second pair of sealing rolls remaining in its raised or inoperative position. It is to be understood, however, that within the broader concept of my invention, any other suitable packaging means or machine may be used. While the material to be packaged preferably is initially formed. into disc-like tablets having flat top and 10 bottom 'sides', it may be formed into tablets-of any other 'isuitable shape within the broader aspects of my I invention. Also, I contemplate within-my invention-packaging the tablets in rows of two or more individual packages extend ing 'lengthwise of the enclosing strips, the latter, of coursey'being of appropriate -width'- for-"that purpose,- and,: if desired, 'two or more tabletsma-y be enclosedwithin -'a single package in alignment therein, tliese' table-ts beingbrokenwithin the package '-or -'container:'and the portions "of the broken -"tablets "separated preliminary to the first crushing .operation,

in -the-manner above 3 described.

Asabove indicated, and as willbe understood by those skilled in the art, numerous changes may loe resortedto in carrying out'my invention, and I intend to include all suchvariations, asfall within the scope of the appended claims, inlt'his application in "which the preferred form" only ;"of

my invention has been disclosed.

I claim; I I

1. Inmeans io'rreducing to powderformtab lets sealed between 1 strips of: protective material" providing a continuous string ofspaced packaged tablets enclosed in individual envelopes with the marginal portions of the strips extending a sub-.-

stantial distance outwardbeyond'the envelopes, apairrof-breakingrolls of alengthto receive said .stringibetween. them, means. in advance of. said rolls effective for gripping the'margi'nal portions of said strips and thereby controlling thespeedof travel of said. string to said breaking .rolls'. and a. pair of crushing rolls'lin back ofandparallehwithl said" breaking rollsv of. a width toreceive said.

stringbetween them, .said crush-ing. mustangyieldingly urged one toward the other and having. end rails' adapted and disposed. to. .receive and I.

frictionally grip.v between them themarginalportions of saidstrip efiective for movin said string,

rearward fromsaid breaking rollsp 2.1In...means.for reducingtopowder form .tab-w lets sealed between strips of protective material providing a continuous string of spaced packaged tablets enclosed in individual envelopes with the marginal portions of the strips extending a substantial distance outward beyond the envelopes, a pair of breaking rolls of a length to receive said string between them, means in advance of said rolls effective for gripping the marginal portions of said strips and thereb controlling the speed of travel of said string to said breaking rolls, the latter rolls being yieldingly urged one toward the other and having end rails adapted and disposed to receive and frictionally grip between them the marginal portions of said strip effective for moving said string under tension from said gripping means through said breaking rolls, and a pair of crushing rolls in back of and parallel with said breaking rolls of a width to receive said string between them having end rails adapted and disposed to receive and frictionally grip between them the marginal portions of said strip efiective for moving said string rearward from said breaking rolls.

3. In means for producing separate packages of material in powdered form from tablets sealed between strips of protective material providing a continuous string of spaced packaged tablets enclosed in individual envelopes with the marginal portions of the strips extending a substantial distance outward beyond the envelopes at the sides thereof, a pair of breaking rolls adapted to receive the string between them and having end rails adapted and disposed to receive and 1 1' frictionally grip between them the marginal portions of said strips,means in advance of said rolls effective for positively gripping the marginal portions of said strips and thereby controlling the speed of travel of said string to said breaking rolls, a pair of crushing rolls in back of and parallel with said breaking rolls adapted to receive the string between them and having end rails adapted and disposed to receive and frictionally grip between them the marginal portions of said strips, and a pair of cutting rolls in back of and parallel with said crushing rolls having means for severing the strip between the envelopes, said cutting rolls having end rails adapted and disposed to receive and frictionally grip between them the marginal portions of the strips for advancing the string between said cutting rolls during the cutting operation.

, 4. In means for reducing to powder form tabletsdisposed between two strips of protective material stretched over the tablets and sealed together about and between them providing a continuous string of spaced packaged tablets enclosed in individual envelopes, a pair of breaking rolls, a pair of crushing rolls parallel with said breaking rolls, and means for continuously feeding the string of packaged tablets to said breaking rolls and thence to said crushing rolls, said breaking rolls having cooperating opposed lengthwise breaking bars disposed to engage the respective packaged tablets at the central areas thereof as they pass between said breaking rolls, the respective breaking bars having a breaking portion of a length to extend the full width of the packaged tablet, said breaking portion being of approximately triangular cross section with its following face substantially radial to the associated roll and its leading face inclined outwardly of the roll toward said following face.

5. The method of packaging material in powder form, which comprises providing a string of packaged tablets in individual envelopes stretched over and sealed about the respective tablets with continuous marginal elements connecting the envelopes together and extending outward from the opposite sides thereof, continuously advancing said string by means of said marginal elements between breaking means effective for breaking the respective tablets apart centrally, thence through crushing means effective for crushing the broken tablets to powder form, and from the crushing means through cutting means effective for cutting the envelopes apart.

6. The method of packaging material in powder form, which comprises providing a string of packaged tablets in individual envelopes stretched over and sealed about the respective tablets with continuous marginal elements connecting the envelopes together and extending outward from the opposite sides thereof, continuously advancing said string b means of said marginal elements, breaking the respective tablets centrally along a line transverse to the direction of travel of the string and spreading apart the portions of the broken tablet during advancement of the string, crushing the broken tablets to powder form in the continued advancement of the string, and cutting the envelopes apart in the further continued advancement of the string.

' FREDERICK A. LOBLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,091,568 Garfield et a1 Mar. 31, 1914 1,485,141 MacDonald Feb. 26, 1924 1,971,485 Hosmer Aug. 28, 1934 2,083,618 Salfisberg June 15, 1937 2,180,966 Salfisberg Nov. 21, 1939 2,232,783 .Hausheer Feb. 25, 1941 

